Even the most rabid Ford fan would concede that Holden champion Jamie Whincup is the man to beat in the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama on Sunday.
But Ford threat Mark Winterbottom has given the defending champion a not so subtle reminder that he is indeed human after celebrating news Ford will remain in V8 Supercars next year in an absorbing qualifying battle.
Whincup (two minutes, 07.88 seconds) would be forgiven for being quietly confident ahead of the Great Race after edging out Winterbottom (2:08.07) to claim his maiden Bathurst pole on Saturday.
The Holden driver also happens to be a four-time Bathurst winner and V8 series champ.
And did we mention he is also series leader?
Winterbottom could only look on as Whincup rose to his challenge and completed a scorching lap as the last car out in qualifying to claim his 50th career pole.
But it is what Winterbottom saw during Friday’s qualifying session that gave him hope of viewing Mount Panorama from the top of the podium for the first time on Sunday.
Whincup clipped a wall but recovered to claim provisional pole on Friday.
Winterbottom believed the mistake was a reminder to all that Whincup was human – and beatable.
“Jamie is seriously fast,” Winterbottom told AAP on Saturday.
“But he hit the wall in qualifying yesterday. He might do that again in the race tomorrow and it is game over.
“If you have the quickest car you probably have the best chance of winning but you are not guaranteed.”
Winterbottom’s qualifying heroics on Saturday could not have been better timed.
Watching from pit lane was Ford Australia president and CEO Bob Graziano barely an hour after he confirmed the manufacturer would remain in V8 Supercars in 2014.
They did not mention the length or the amount of the new deal but it is another confidence boost for Winterbottom’s factory-backed Ford Performance Racing team.
Winterbottom has suffered some heartbreaking near misses at Bathurst, most notably sliding off when leading in the final laps in 2007.
“Other times I have been here I have been on provisional pole but then the car has dropped off,” he said.
“This is the first time it has got better and better each session.
“Hopefully we can take another step on Sunday.”
